MAGUIRE'S 5-UNDER-PAR 65 GIVES HIM FIRST ROUND LEAD AT FOOTJOY INVITATIONAL
Four players tied at 4-under-par 66

GREENSBORO, N.C. — M.J. Maguire, a rising high-school junior from St. Petersburg, Fla., carded a 5-under-par 65 to take the lead after the first round of the eighth-annual FootJoy Invitational. There are also four players tied for second at 4-under-par heading into Wednesday's second round.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the FootJoy Invitational is a 72-hole stroke play event being held at Sedgefield Country Club. The 99-player field features golfers from 25 states and 10 foreign countries. The field includes 28 players who have already signed National Letters of Intent to play in college as well as 25 Rolex Junior All-Americans. Home of the PGA's Wyndham Championship, the par-70 course is being played at 7,118 yards. Past champions of this event include Brian Harman, Daniel Woltman, Andrew Yun, Peter Uihlein and Cameron Peck.

While his only bogey came on the first hole, Maguire finished his front nine four birdies and carded two more back-nine birdies on Nos. 15 and 18.

“I got off to a shaky start, but I knew I could come back,” Maguire said. “I got up and down when I needed to, made all the putts I had to, and in the end played well.”

Maguire is currently ranked No. 51 in the Polo Golf Rankings and has had an exceptional start to his 2009 season. He has finished in the top five at his two previous AJGA events this year - the AJGA Cliffs Championship and the Mizuno Junior at Innisbrook.

“Having a couple good rounds under par or around par has helped give me the confidence that I can do it,” Maguire said.

Right behind Maguire is a four-way tie between of Rak Cho of Brea, Calif., Jordan Spieth of Dallas, Mario Clemens of Beverly Hills, Calif., and Ian McConnell of Riverview, Fla., who each carded a 4-under-par 66. In all, 23 players finished their first round under par.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.

The largest Association of its kind, the AJGA has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of more than 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and more than 30 foreign countries.

Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 200 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 350 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.

Second-round tee times for the FootJoy Invitational will run from 7 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. off the No. 1 tee at Sedgefield Country Club. For more information, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (336) 299-0744.

The American Junior Golf Foundation is the primary recipient of all charitable giving to the AJGA and as such administers a variety of programs designed to compliment the AJGA and the members and families who make up our community. Learn more about these important programs and how your contributions to the Foundation secure the AJGA’s financial future for future generations to come.

The Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program provides financial assistance to junior golfers who wish to play in AJGA events. Its goal is to give top-flight golf opportunities to young golfers regardless of financial resources. This program helps to fulfill the AJGA’s mission of developing young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.

Leadership Links

What is Leadership Links?

Leadership Links is a new program whereby the AJGA is able to further its mission to help develop young men and women by teaching charitable giving skills and service-oriented practices at an early age. This program gives juniors all the tools necessary to donate their time, talent and resources to local charities and the AJGA youth development programs. Please click here to learn more about the program and the different opportunities available.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and
development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.